UlBRAM OF CONGRESS. I 

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I UNITED STATES OP AMERICA, f 



THE 



DOCTRINE OF PRAYER; 



ITS UTILITY; 



AND ITS 



RELATION TO PROVIDENCE. 



P. H. MELL, D.D., LL.D., 

Professor of Ethics and Metaphysics in the University of 
Georgia. 




NEW YORK: 
SHELDON & COMPANY, 

8 MURRAY STREET. 






A MANUAL OF PARLIAMENTARY 
PRACTICE, 

BEING 

JtTTZJES FOM COXDJJCTIXG JBTTSINESS 
JJV^ DEZIBJEMATirJE ASSE31BLIES. 

By p. H. MELL, D.D., LL.D., 

Professor of Ethics and Metaphysics, and Lec- 
turer ON Parliamentary Law in the 
Univertity of Georgia. 

Price 75 cents* 



Copyri(?Jit,* 

SHELDON AND COMPANY. 

X876. 



PREFACE. 



Some things in the bible are matters of 
pure revelation ; and are to be accepted simply 
because they are revealed. Such doctrines, 
for example, as the Trinity and the Incar- 
nation, are addressed not to reason but to 
faith. They are to be accepted and sustained, 
not on the principles of human philosophy, 
but on the authority merely of God*s word. 
In relation to such as they, all that reason 
can do is to demonstrate for us the divine 
origin of the scriptures, and to interpret their 
revelations about them according to the laws 
of language. When the doctrine is appre- 
hended by the understanding, however great 
its mystery, reason itself would say, it must 
be implicitly received. 



4 PREFACE. 

Other things, again, are clearly taught in 
the bible, and capable of being sustained by 
reason, that no finite mind can harmonize. 
God's sovereignty over sin and man's free 
agency in the commission of it, for instance, 
are each clearly taught in the scriptures, and 
commend themselves to sound reason ; but 
what human mind can reconcile the one with 
the other? Nevertheless, reason itself can 
see that if we cannot harmonize them, it is 
not because they are irreconcilable, but be- 
cause the subject is above human capacity. 

The doctrine of Prayer, though difficult 
of solution, is to be placed however in neither 
of the above categories. We are not com- 
pelled to accept God's precepts concerning 
it by mere faith ; nor are we under the ne- 
cessity of excusing our failure to harmonize it 
with other revealed truths on the ground of 
our want of capacity. The bible makes no 
formal essay to give the philosophy of prayer, 
nor to reconcile it with other doctrines: but it 



PREFACE. 5 

furnishes the means, direct and inferential, to 
enable any careful and competent inquirer to 
do so. True, the difficulties connected with 
the subject have perplexed many thinking 
minds ; and its apparent conflict with the 
doctrine of Providence has offered encourage- 
ment to skeptics. to attack the christian reli- 
gion, of which it is a part. But all this hap- 
pens because the doctrine is not thoroughly 
understood. 

Prayer is not a weak part of the gospel 
system. It can not only, by inherent force, 
hold its own position against all assaults, but 
it can furnish efficient support to other parts 
of the system of divine truth. The writer 
hopes that the following essay, which he 
modestly offers to the public, will tend to 
sustain this proposition. 

Athens, Ga., December 2d, 1875. 



CONTENTS. 



PAGE 

Preface 3~5 

CHAPTER I. 
The Doctrine of Prayer. 

Natural Religion teaches the duty I1-15 

Revelation teaches the duty 15 

1. Epitome of the bible doctrine 1 5-2 1 

2. On what subjects may men address petitions? 
Question answered by, Firsts Examples given 

in the scriptures of prayers that were answered. 21-32 

1. In the domain of grace 22-24 

2. In the domains of nature and providence 24-29 

a. For understanding and wisdom 24 



8 CONTENTS. 

PAGB 

b. For restoration to health 25 

c. For offspring, and their welfare 25, 26 

d. For deliverance from prison and from distress 

and affliction 26 

^. For the good things of this world 27, 28 

f. Against the sword, judgment, pestilence and 
famine 28 

g. For control of the seasons 28, 29 

3. Examples of prayer answered in the domains of 

the miraculous and the supernatural 29-32 

Second, The inferences that may be legitimately 
drawn from the general tenor of the scriptures 

in answer to the question 32,33 

Third, Answer by showing what are the precepts 
on the subject applicable to all devout persons 

and to all times 33-35 

The scope and the Rule of prayer given in one 

sentence 35 



CONTENTS. 9 

CHAPTER II. 
The Utility of Prayer. 

PAGE 

The general answer to the question of its utility. ... 36, 37 
Specific answers : 

1. It checks the tendency to forget God 37-40 

2. It prepares men to prize the blessings God 
bestows 40-43 

3. Makes men systematic christians 43, 44 

4. Makes them stand pledged to labor for the 
things for which they pray 44-48 

Why are christians required to pray for others? 48, 49 

CHAPTER III. 
Prayer as Related to Providence. 
Does not involve absurdity and confusion, because 
men never truly pray excepting as God indites 
their petitions, proved, 
I. By the promise through the Prophet Zecha- 

"^^^ 53,54 



10 CONTENTS. 

PAGE 

2. By Romans 8 : 26, 27 54-56 

3. By James 5 : 16 56 

4. By the fact that sincere and earnest petitions 

may be unavailing 57-6o 

Question. Why all this formality ? God brings His 
people into partnership with Him in the realm of 
Providence also 60-63 

CONCLUSION. 

1. Mr. Muller 64-67 

2. Prof. Tyndall 67-71 



THE DOCTRINE OF PRAYER, 



CHAPTER I. 

THE DOCTRINE OF PRAYER. 

Prayer is natural to man. If there were 
no written revelation on the subject, its 
necessity and duty could find justification in 
man's constitution and condition, and in the 
relations he sustains to the God of nature and 
providence. The religious element within 
him, however much he may through deprav- 
ity resist it, prompts him to recognize the 
existence of a Supreme Being, to inquire 
after, and to worship him. This is shown by 
the fact that there is no tribe, however igno- 
rant and degraded, that is destitute of a 



12 THE DOCTRINE OF PRAYER. 

system of religion. Everywhere, a Supreme 
Being is acknowledged, to whom appeals are 
made to turn away wrath, and to propitiate 
favor. 

Man's experience of want and suffering, 
his consciousness of sin, and his sense of 
helplessness and of dependence for things 
spiritual as well as temporal, prompt him to 
seek for help, and to ask for it from the only 
Being competent to give it. This would he 
do, when pressed by such necessity, even 
though he did not know that God w^as placa- 
ble and gracious ; for who knows but that a 
show of submission and confidence may ex- 
cite interest, and win kindness and favor. 
But convinced of God's benevolence, — know- 
ing that He is good and doeth good — he is 
encouraged to come boldly to His throne, as 
to one of grace,- to obtain mercy, and find , 
grace to help in time of need. 

Prayer has been analyzed into Adoration ; 
Thanksgiving ; Confession ; and Petition — and 



THE DOCTRINE OF PRAYER. 1 3 

perhaps exhaustively; for Adoration includes 
Invocation, and Petition, Intercession. Now, 
every one of these finds in man's nature and 
relations occasions for its exercise. 

The contemplation of high degrees of 
excellence in character, and the knowledge 
of deeds illustrious for wisdom, power and 
goodness, excite naturally in men's minds 
feelings of admiration. Let God's glorious 
attributes then be known — let men become 
acquainted with His wonderful works in crea- 
tion, providence and redemption, and suffi- 
ciently appreciate them, and their hearts will 
yearn to address to Him the language of 
Adoration and praise. 

Gratitude for benefits conferred, is a feel- 
ing nature has implanted in the human 
breast. So, when God has made unmistaka- 
ble interpositions in men's behalf, to rescue 
them from evil, and to impart to them good, 
and they have become fully sensible of the 
favor bestowed, there will be naturally an 



14 THE DOCTRINE OF PRAYER. 

irrepressible desire to utter to Him the lan- 
guage of Thanksgiving and praise. 

Let one recognize his relations to the 
Creator and Ruler — who demands from him 
unreserved consecration — and let him know 
and, in proper degree, feel his short-comings 
and his sin, and nothing could prevent him 
from addressing to God the language of Con- 
fession and penitence. 

Show him the danger he is exposed to, 
the wants which press him, and the blessings 
that he needs, and let him feel that God 
alone can protect and bless him, and nothing 
is more natural than the language 'of Petition. 
How often is this verified by the fact that 
wicked men, and even professed infidels and 
atheists, call upon God for help when sudden- 
ly pressed by danger or distress ! 

Nor is this all. Provision is made in 
man's nature for the exercise also of that 
form of petition which consists in Intercession 
for others. A social being, loving and being 



THE DOCTRINE OF PRAYER. 1$ 

loved — feeling an interest therefore in others* 
welfare, how natural it is for him who has 
obtained audience in his own behalf to inter- 
cede for needed blessing upon those he loves. 

Natural Religion teaches unequivocally 
the duty of prayer ; and nothing is needed for 
its due exercise but a spirit of piety. 

But Revelation sets up this doctrine with 
a clearness of statement, a fulness of detail, 
and an affluence of illustration, that leave 
nothing more to be desired by the candid in- 
quirer. It not only authorizes and commands 
prayer, but, by formal precept and varied ex- 
amples of acceptable prayer, teaches how the 
duty is to be performed. It asserts not only 
that men ;;mj/^ pray but that they mtcst^ do 
so, in order to please God — indeed, it is by this 
exercise that the two great classes — God's 
friends and his enemies — are sometimes dis- 
tinguished. Of the former individually it is 

'•Ph. 4:6. 

' Mat. 7: 7. Is. 55 : 6. Lu. 18 : i and 21 : 36. i Thes. 
5: 17. 



1 6 THE DOCTRINE OF PRAYER. 

said, '' Behold he prayeth '' i — of the latter, 
'* Who call not upon the Lord ; '' ^ and they 
are represented as saying, ** What is the 
Almighty that we should serve him? and 
what profit should we have, if we pray unto 
him?"^ Salvation, as well under the ^Old 
Testament as under the New,^ is expressed in 
epitome, *^ Whosoever shall call upon the 
name of the Lord shall be saved/' 

God not only invites and encourages men 
to pray in such language as this, ^* Be care- 
ful for nothing ; but in every thing by prayer 
and supplication with thanksgiving let your 
requests be made known unto God,'* but he 
pledges himself to cooperate with them. 
He promises that he will give them the Holy 
Spirit to teach them to pray ; ^ and declares 
that he is nigh to all that call upon him/ and 

^ Ac. 9 : II. 

2 Ps. 14 : 4 & 53 : 4, s Jq^ 21 : 15. 

* Joel. 2 : 32. ^ Rom. 10 : 13. 

^ Zech. 12 : 10. Rom. 8 : 15, 26, Gal. 4 : 6. Lu. 11 : 13. 

■^ Ps. 145 : 18. 



THE DOCTRINE OF PRAYER. 1/ 

a rewarder of all them that diligently seek 
him.^ Do earthly parents know how to give 
good gifts to their children ? God declares 
that much more shall he the Father in heav- 
en, give good things to them that ask 
him.^ 

The bible prescribes private,^ social,^ fam- 
ily,^ and public ^ prayer; and gives examples 
to illustrate them all severally^ Descending 
to particulars, it gives minute directions to 
guide in the discharge of the duty. It 
teaches that prayer is generally to be ad- 
dressed to the Father,^ the representative of 
the Godhead, but authorizes appeals also to 
the son,^ and to the Holy Spirit.^^ In gen- 
eral, worshipers approach the Father in the 

iHeb. II : 6. 2 ;^Xat. 7: 11. 

* jMat. 6 : 6. Gen. 32 : 26. ^ Mat, 18 : 19, 20. 

^ Jer. 10: 25. 

^ Is. 56: 7. I Cor. 14: 14-16, Ac. 4: 24, and 12 : 5, 12. 
' Ac. 10 : 9, 30. Gen. 12 : 5, 8 & 35 : 2, 37. Jos. 24 ; 
15. Job I : 5. Ac. 16 : 25 and 2 : 46, 47. 

*Jno. 16: 23. *Lu. 23:42. Ac. 7 : 59. 

^0 2 Thes. 3 : 5. Rev. 1:4. 2 Cor. 13 : 14. 



1 8 THE DOCTRINE OF PRAYER. 

name of the Son and through the invoked 
assistance of the Holy Spirit.^ 

The scriptures forbid the worshiping of 
angels,^ and are profoundly silent on the 
subject of addressing petitions to saints or to 
the virgin Mary. 

The bible explains what must be our men- 
tal condition and what our mental processes 
to make prayer acceptable. If we regard 
iniquity in our hearts, the Lord will not hear 
us.^ When we approach the throne of grace 
we must do so with humility,^ and yet, in 
the strength of Christ, with boldness;^ for- 
giving if we have aught against any ; ^ in 
faith, believing that God is, and that he is a 
rewarder of all who diligently seek him ; "^ and 
with an importunity^ which would say, ** I 
will not let thee go, except thou bless ^ me," 

» Ep. 2: 18. 2 Col. 2: 18. 

3 Ps. 66 : 18. 4 2 Chr. 7 : 14 & 33 : 12. 

5 Heb. 4 : 16. ^ M^r. ii: 25. 

' Ja. 1 : 6, 7. 8 Lu^ ^ . 3, 9. 

^ Gen. 32 : 26. 



THE DOCTRINE OF PRAYER. I9 

To pray to God acceptably we must approach 
Him with the whole heart,^ lifting up holy 
hands without wrath and doubting.^ 

Our prayer is to take not only ourselves 
but God ^ also and our fellow creatures in 
the world 4 as its objects. We are to pray 
for the glory of God's name, and the progress 
of his cause. Supplication, prayers, interces- 
sions, and giving of thanks, are to be made for 
all men — for strangers therefore as well as ac- 
quaintances, for enemies^ as well as friends; s 
for ** all men," whatever may be their 
classes,^ their relations,^ or their ^ conditions. 
True, Jeremiah, in one instance was forbidden 
to pray for the people of the Jews ; ^^ and the 
apostle John did not feel at liberty to say 

1 Ps. 119 : 58, 145. 2 I xim. 2 : 8. 

2 Lu. II : 2. ^ I Tim. 2 : i. 

5 Mat. 5 : 44. ^ Job 42 : 8. Ja. 5 : 16. 

^ I Tim. 2:2. 2 Thes. 3 : i. Ps. 22 : 6. Is. 62 : 6, 7. 
Ep. 6 : 18 & I : 16. 

8 Lu. 7 : 2, 3. Gen. 17 : 18. Job 42 : 8. Mat. 15 : 22. 
Rom. 10: I. 

^ Ja. 5 : 14. Philem. 22. ^^ jgj.^ y . jg^ 



20 THE DOCTRINE OF PRAYER. 

that those to whom he wrote should pray for 
one who had sinned a sin unto death. ^ 

The bible even informs us as to the pos- 
ture in which acceptable prayer has been 
offered. We read that some in ancient times 
kneeled down and prayed, as did the ^Saviour, 
and Paul ; ^ that others stood up and spread 
forth the hands towards heaven, as Solomon 
did ;4 and that others still fell down before the 
Lord,^ or fell on their faces as did ^Joshua, 
and David, and" the elders of Israel.*^ 

In Old Testament times, prayer was an 
important part of the worship of God. The 
Temple was called '' a house of prayer for all 
people;"^ and there were certain seasons 
every day when prayer was offered up ■ in ^it. 
Besides, there were other places also, ** where 
prayer was w^ont to be made.'* ^^ The New 

^ I Jno. 5 : i6. * Lu. 22 : 41. 

3 Ac. 20 : 36. 4 I Ki. 8 : 22. 

^ Deut. 9 : 18. * Jos. 5 : 14. 

■^ I Chr. 21 : 16. « Is. 56 : 7. 

» Ps. 55 : 17. Ac. 3 : I. , 'o Ac. 16 : 13. 



THE DOCTRINE OF PRAYER. 21 

Testament every where teaches that prayer 
is an indispensable part of the worship the 
Saviour enjoins. 

But specifically, and somewhat more in de- 
tail : What are the subjects on which men may 
address petitions to God ? Can they commune 
with Him on any topic on which they feel 
absorbing interest ? i\re there any limits pre- 
scribed to desire and utterance on those topics 
that are proper subjects of prayer? Are we 
limited to persons in this world, or can our 
prayers range through the unseen world seeking 
to affect the condition of the departed dead ? 

These questions can best be answered, 
First, By noticing the examples given in 
the scriptures of prayers that were answered ; 
Second^ By seeing what inferences on the sub- 
ject may be legitimately drawn from the gen- 
eral tenor of the scriptures applicable to the 
question ; and, Third, By inquiring what are 
the precepts on the subject applicable to all 
devout men and to all times. 



22 THE DOCTRINE OF PRAYER. 

First. Examples given in the scriptures 
of prayers that were acceptable and an- 
swered : 

1st. In the domam of grace. In petitions 
for those blessings needful to restore to the 
image and favor of God, men in ancient times 
seem to have felt no fear that they might 
wander into the region of the unauthorized 
and extravagant. Without hesitation or re- 
serve, they asked for themselves and others 
pardon of sin ; ^ peace with God and joy and 
hope ; ^ the gift and graces of the Holy Spir- 
it ; ^ the divine presence ; '* assistance in 
duties ; ^ and temptations ; ^ comfort in afflic- 
tions ; "^ and grace to improve them to sancti- 
fication ; ^ hope in death ; ^ and a happy 
immortality beyond the grave.^^ The sublime 
and daring prayer of Moses, '* show me thy 

^ Ps. 32 : 5. ^ Rom. 15 : 13. 

^Ep. 3 : 16 *Ep. I : 17. 

^ Ps. 143 : 10. • Mat. 6 ; 13 

' Ps. 102 : 2. 8 Ps. 85 : 4-6. 

^ Ps. 39 : 4, 13. 10 Lu. 23 : 42. 



THE DOCTRINE OF PRAYER. 23 

glory," 1 was not less authorized than the 
humble petition of the publican, '' God be 
merciful to me a sinner!"'^ There was no 
danger that scripture worthies would offend 
by asking for themselves and others for spirit- 
ual blessings too great in number, and too 
extravagant in degree, if Paul's prayer for the 
Ephesians was justifiable : *' For this cause I 
bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord 
Jesus Christ, of whom the whole family in 
heaven and earth is named, that he would 
grant you, according to the riches of his 
glory, to be strengthened with might by his 
Spirit in the inner man ; that Christ may 
dwell in your hearts by faith ; that ye, being 
rooted and grounded in love, may be able to 
comprehend with all saints what is the 
breadth, and length, and depth, and height ; 
and to know the love of Christ, which passeth 
knowledge; that ye might be filled with all 
the fulness of God." ^ 
^ Ex. 33 : 18. * Lu. 18 : 13. 3 gp^^ 3 . j^^jg. 



24 THE DOCTRINE OF PRAYER. 

If men may pray to be filled with all the 
fulness of God, then there is no danger that 
our petitions may be extravagant while we 
ask for blessings in the domains of grace. But 
there is no instance in the bible where bless- 
ings of grace were asked for in behalf of one who 
had passed beyond the confines of earth; nor 
is there any precept authorizing such petition. 

2. Examples of prayers answered^ in the 
domains of nature and providence. 

{a) For understanding and wisdom, Solo- 
mon asked and obtained an understanding to 
discern judgment ; ^ and all who lack wisdom, 
in any sphere or on any subject, are invited 
to ask of God who giveth to all men liberally .^ 
Illustrated and authorized also by the Sa- 
viour's promise to his disciples in anticipa- 
tion of persecution : " For I will give you a 
mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries 
shall not be able to gainsay nor resist." ^ 

^ I Ki. 3 : II. ^ Ja. i; 5. 

5 Lu. 21 : 15. See also Ex. 4 : 12. Ac. 6 : 10, and 
I Cor. 2 : 4, 13. 



THE DOCTRINE OF PRAYER. 25 

(J?) For restoration to health. Abraham 
prayed, and God healed Abimelech, and his 
wife, and his maid servants ; ^ and Hezekiah, 
in answer to prayer, was healed, though 
'*sick unto death/' ^ Paul prayed for the 
father of Publius, and he was healed '^ of a 
fever and of a bloody flux ;*' ^ and the 
Saviour, in answer to the petition of the cen- 
turion, healed his servant, who '' was sick 
and ready to die/'^ Indeed, the Apostle 
James elevates this into a universal privilege : 
"Is any sick among you ? Let him call for 
the elders of the church, and let them pray 
over him and the prayer of faith shall save 
the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up." ^ 
Asa is reproached because in his last sickness 
he had recourse to physicians rather than to 
the Lord.^ 

if) For offspring ; and for the welfare of 
children. Hannah ^ and Zacharias® prayed for 

* Ge^. 20: 17 * 2 Ki. 20 : 5. 3 a^. 28 : 8. 

* Lu. 7 : 2. « Ja. 5 ; 14. 15. ^ 2 Chr. 16: I2i. 
' I Sam. I : .27. s Lu . i : 13. 



26 THE DOCTRINE OF PRAYER. 

offspring, and their petitions were granted. 
Abraham prayed for blessings on his son, 
Ishmael/ and God heard him. The Saviour 
granted the petition of the Syro-phenician 
woman ^ in behalf of her daughter ; and of the 
** certain man who came kneeling down to him, 
and saying: Lord, have mercy on my son.*'^ 
{d) For deliverance from prison ; and from 
distress and affliction. In answer to prayer, 
Peter ^ was delivered from prison; and 
prayer furnished the occasion for the relief 
of Paul and Silas ^ from the dungeon 
and the stocks. David, in the day of 
trouble, ^ sought the Lord, and God '' gave 
ear unto him ;" *' out of the low dungeon,'* 
Jeremiah called upon the name of the Lord, 
^nd he ^' heard his voice i''"^ and Jonah 
testifies, ** Out of the belly of hell cried I, 
and thou heardest my voice.'' ^ 



^ Gen. 17 : 20 ^ Mat. 15 : 22. ^ M^t. 17 : 14. 

^ Ac. 12 : 5. ^ Ac. 16 : 25. ^ Ps. 18 • 6. and 77 : 2. 

' Lam. 3 : 55, 56. ^ Jo. 2 : 2. 



THE DOCTRINE OF PRAYER. 2/ 

{e) For the good things of this world that 
are necessary for physical support and com- 
fort. The Saviour taught his disciples to 
pray: *' Give us this day our daily bread.'* 
There is no instance where prayer was 
answered that was offered for gratification of 
ambition, of avarice, and of appetite in excess. 
The Saviour rej'ected the petition of the 
mother of Zebedee's children when she 
prayed that her sons might sit, one on his 
right hand and the other on his left hand in 
his kingdom.^ The prayer of Agur^ seems 
to agree with the precepts^ on the subject: 
** Give me neither poverty nor riches ; feed me 
with food convenient for me." To this may 
be added the prayer of Jabez for prosperity 
and protection : '' Oh that thou wouldest 
bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and 
that thine hand might be with me, and that 
thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it 

1 Mat. 20 : 20. 2 Prov. 30 : 8. 

2 Prov. 23 : 4. Mat. 19 : 23. i Tim. 6 : 9. 



28 THE DOCTRINE OF PRAYER. 

might not grieve me ! and God granted him 
that which he requested." ^ 

(/) Against the sword^ judgment^ pestilence 
and famine. Men prayed against pubHc ene- 
mies;^ that God would prevent their as- 
saults ; ^ that he would give victory over 
them ; ^ and that he would relieve his people 
from the oppression of those by whom they 
had been subjugated.^ And Solomon gives 
us to understand that prayer by the people 
of Israel would be efficacious : *' If there 
be any famine in the land, if there be pesti- 
lence, blasting, mildew, locust, or if there be 
caterpillar, if their enemies besiege them in 
the land of their cities ; whatsoever plague, 
whatsoever sickness there be." ^ 

(^) For the control of the seasons. The 
quotation under the last head illustrates this 
also. Solomon prayed that God would hear 

^ I Chr. 4 : lo. ^ Josh. 7 : 6. 

^ Neb. 4:9-15. '^ I Sam. 7 : 9, 10. 2 Chr. 

14: II, and 20 : 6, and 32 ; 20. 

5 Ex. 2:23-25. 2 Ki. 13 : 3-5. ^ I Ki. 8 : 37. 



THE DOCTRINE OF PRAYER. 29 

the petition of the people for rain when 
*' heaven is shut up ; " ^ and James tells us, 
*' Elijah was a man subject to like passions 
as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it 
might not rain ; and it rained not on the 
earth by the space of three years and six 
months. And he prayed again and the heav- 
ens gave rain, and the earth brought forth 
her fruit.*' ^ 

3. Examples of prayer ansivered in the do- 
viaiiis of the miraculous and the sttpernatiiraL 
By prayer of Moses the plague of frogs 
was removed from the Egyptians ; ^ and 
through his intercession, the fire was quenched 
which the Lord caused to burn among the 
Israelites and consume them because of their 
complaining.^ When time was likely to fail 
for the complete destruction of the Amorites, 
Joshua was authorized to command effec- 
tively, *' Sun stand thou still upon Gibeon, 

^ I Ki.8: 35. ' Ja. 5: I7, 18. 

^ 2 I £x. 8 : 13. 4 Num. 11 : i, 2. 



30 THE DOCTRINE OF PRAYER. 

and thou, moon, in the valley of ^ Ajalon/' 
After slaying a thousand Philistines with the 
jaw bone of an ass, Samson was sore athirst, 
and in danger of famisliing, prayed ; and 
** God clave an hollow place that was in the 
jaw, and there came water thereout,'' and he 
drank and revived.^ In answer to the prayer 
of " the man of God,'' Jeroboam's hand which 
had been miraculously ** dried up " in the act 
of offering violence, was *' restored^ again." 
Elijah prayed, and ** fire from the Lord fell 
and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the 
wood and the stones, and the dust, and licked 
up the vvater that was in the trench." ^ 

God consented by miraculous tests to de- 
cide lots in answer to prayer. By accepting 
the test of Abraham's servant,^ he miracu- 
lously indicated to him whom he had ap- 
pointed to be the wife of Isaac. Accepting 
Gideon's test, he showed him that He would 

^ Jos. 10 : 12. 2 Jud. 15 : 19. 

3 I Ki. 13 : 6. 4 I Ki. 18 ; 38. 

^ Gen. 24 : 14. 



THE DOCTRINE OF PRAYER. 3 1 

save Israel by his hand, now, by moistening a 
fleece of wool with dew while all the earth 
beside was dry ; and then, by making the 
fleece dry while upon all the ground there was 
dew.^ On the prayer of Isaiah, the shadow 
was brought back ten degrees on the dial of 
Ahaz,^ as a sign to Hezekiah that the Lord 
would heal him. In answer to the prayer of 
the disciples, God caused the lot to fall upon 
Matthias as an apostle in the place of 3 Judas. 

God sometimes answered prayer through 
the mouths of supernatural visitants. ** The 
man Gabriel '' gave Daniel the information 
sought at a throne of grace ; ^ and a ** man 
stood before Cornelius in bright ^ clothing, '* 
while he *' prayed in his house/' and said, 
" Thy prayer is heard." 

Blind Bartimeus prayed and sight was 
bestowed upon him.^ In some instances, the 
dead was brought to life again in answer to 

* Jud. 6 : 36-40. ^ 2 Ki. 20 : 1 1. 

'^ Ac. I : 23-26. ** Dan. 9 : 21. 

^ Ac. 10 : 30. ^ Mar. 10 : 46. 



32 THE DOCTRINE OF PRAYER. 

prayer.i But we need not multiply instances 
under this head. 

Under divine impulse, then, and with 
faith strong enough, men in ancient times 
did not hesitate to ask for those things they 
desired, even though the answer required the 
display of miraculous and supernatural power. 

Prevailing prayer has been offered up for 
the restoration of the dead to life ; but the 
scriptures present no case where prayers, pre- 
vailing or otherwise, were offered to affect, 
temporarily or permanently, in the other 
world, the state of the dead. 

In answer further to the question, what is 
the scope and what the rule of prayer, notice, 

Second. What inferences may be legiti- 
mately drawn from the general tenor of the 
scriptures applicable to the subject. 

No argument is needed to sustain the in- 
ferences that it is legitimate to pray that God 
would give all the aid necessary to enable us 
1 2 Ki. 4 : 33. Ac, 9 : 40, and 20 : 10. 



THE DOCTRINE OF PRAYER. 33 

to obey His commandments; that He would 
bestow upon us all the things contained in 
His promises, and give us grace to escape all 
the things contained in His threatenings ; 
that he would bestow upon us all those bless- 
ings designed for men that are discussed in 
the doctrines of the gospel, and all such as 
scripture history informs us were conferred 
actually upon His people. Finally, the infer- 
ence is legitimate that we may ask for all 
those things which were obtained in answer 
to prayer by those whose circumstances were 
similar to ours. 

But the question can be answered compre- 
hensively, briefly and completely by, 

Third, Inquiring what are the precepts 
on the subject applicable to all devout per- 
sons and to all times. 

What kind of persons will God hear? 
**The Lord is nigh unto all them that call 
upon him, to all that call upon him ^ in truths 
1 Ps. 145 : 18. 



34 THE DOCTRINE OF PRAYER, 

What range of topics can devout men 
legitimately introduce into prayer? 

{a) Whatsoever desires they have which they 
can express before God, with a belief that He 
will gratify them, ** Therefore I say unto 
you, what things soever ye desire when ye 
pray, believe that ye receive them and ye shall 
have them/* ^ " And all things whatsoever 
ye shall ask in prayer beheving ye shall 
receive."^ 

{b) They can ask what they will, " If ye 
abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye 
shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done 
unto you/'^ 

if) What they ask according to the will of 
God, ** And this is the confidence that we 
have in him, that if we ask anything according 
to his will, he heareth us/* ^ 

In one of the above quotations, men are 
invited to present petitions according to their 

^ Mar. II : 24. a Mat. 21 : 22. See also 

I Jno. 5 : 15, and Jno. 14 : 13, 14, and 15 : 16. 
3 Jno. 15:7. ** I Jno. 5 : 14. 



THE DOCTRINE OF PRAYER. 35 

ownzvills: in another, they are instructed to 
ask according to the will of God, The conflict 
in the precepts is apparent, not real, as will be 
shown hereafter. 

Scripture precepts, then, enable us to give 
the scope and the rule of prayer in one short 
sentence : Men are at liberty to pray in the 
name of Christ, for anything they desire, ac- 
cording to the will of God, in the realm of na- 
ture, providence, or grace; and they will 
obtain the answer, provided that they present 
the petition in faith, fully believing that it is 
God's will to bestow it, and that they will 
certainly receive it. 



CHAPTER II. 

THE UTILITY OF PRAYER. 

God's authority unmistakably enjoins 
prayer as a duty ; and every renewed heart 
with gratitude and joy exercises it as a priv- 
ilege. Scripture and experience thus join in 
sustaining the proposition that prayer is of 
divine appointment. Yet, notwithstanding, 
the subject never fails to spring in every think- 
ing mind questions more or less embarrassing 
— questions not impertinent or captious, but 
such as rise spontaneously, and need to be 
answered in order to harmonize this injunc- 
tion with other portions of divine revelation. 
Why should God require men to pray? If 
He knows what we need before we ask Him — 
nay, if He must tell us what our wants are be- 
fore we can discover them ourselves, is it' not 



THE UTILITY OF PRAYER. 37 

a useless formality for us to present back to 
Him in the form of petition what He has 
already impressed upon us in the form of 
want and desire ? What is the utility and 
what the philosophy of prayer ? As already 
intimated, these are pertinent questions; and 
the answers to them will tend further to 
elucidate prayer, and prove that it must be 
a divine requisition. 

The answer may be given in general terms 
thus: Men are required to pray because God 
would use them as instrumentalities in His 
hands for the accomplishment of His wise and 
gracious purposes in reference to them. 

But specifically : 1st, By prayer, God would 
check the tendency in the human mind to 
forget Him. The infinite Creator, Preserver, 
and Redeemer, has a right to supreme posi- 
tion in the human intellect, bringing all other 
thoughts into captivity to Him — to a perma- 
nent residence in the human heart, compeUing 
all other objects of affection to make obeisance 



38 THE UTILITY Ot PRAYER. 

and pay tribute. It is for man's highest 
interest also that this should be so ; and he 
attains to his greatest felicity here, when he 
can say, ** Whom have I in heaven but thee ? 
and there is none upon earth that T desire be- 
side thee.'' But unhappily, by the fall, the 
race lost the principle of supreme love to 
God ; and every unrenewed human mind is 
averse to thoughts of Him. What though the 
heavens declare the glory of God, and the 
firmament showeth His handy work — though 
day unto day uttereth speech and night unto 
night showeth knowledge, men's eyes see not 
God in creation, their ears hear not His voice 
in nature. Their hearts say to Him, *' Depart 
from us, we desire not a knowledge of thy 
ways." The inspired description of unre- 
newed persons is, ** God is not in all their 
thoughts ; " and even the renewed, until fully 
sanctified, detect in themselves frequently 
** an evil heart of unbelief in departing from 
the living God." Now, to assert His own 



THE UTILITY OF PRAYER. 39 

rights, and for the attainment of His people's 
good, our Father in heaven would correct this 
tendency. For this object, in part, were or- 
dained the administration of grace, and the 
mission of the Son and of the Spirit. The loss 
of supreme love to God constituted depravity ; 
and the restoration of this principle to the 
human heart in all its perfection and power 
will constitute the completeness of the work 
of grace undertaken by the Persons of the 
adorable Trinity. For this purpose, heaven 
brings into operation not only divine princi- 
ples, but human agency: not only imparts 
spiritual influences, but requires and enforces 
human habits. One of these is the habit of 
approaching formally into his presence at 
short intervals, and communing with him, as 
it were, face to face. To obey the command, 
** Pray without ceasing,*' ^ implies the mainte- 
nance of a frame of mind which will quaHfy, 
in all circumstances and at all times, for a 

1 I Thes. 5 : 17, 



40 THE UTILITY OF PRAYER. 

prompt approach to the throne of grace — nay, 
which will make one always consciously in the 
presence of God, acknowledging Him in all 
things, with every thought and feeling, as it 
were, in a devotional attitude. By prayer, 
then, men are able to retain God in their 
thoughts ; for it is a duty which cannot be 
performed without frequent, if not constant, 
thoughts of Him. 

2d. Men are required to pray, because God 
would have them to prize His blessings when 
He bestows them. It is a trait of human na- 
ture that men esteem that lightly which costs 
them little. However valuable intrinsically 
anything may be, if it comes to us freely and 
gratuitously, it makes no impression upon us. 
How lightly do men esteem God's great nat- 
ural blessings ! The pure breath of heaven, 
that inflates our lungs, that imparts vitalizing 
qualities to our blood — indeed, that is synon- 
ymous with life itself; the water that gushes 
from ten thousand fountains around us, to 



THE UTILITY OF PRAYER. 41 

slake our thirst, and in numberless other 
ways, minister to our comfort and health ; the 
sun that with glorious light illuminates our 
pathway, fertilizes our fields, and robes our 
landscapes with splendor — By whom are these 
inestimable blessings suitably appreciated ? 
Who thanks God every time he inhales the 
life giving air; acknowledges his obligations 
every time he quaffs the cooling beverage : 
and gives glory to God every time that he is 
consciously bathed in the sun's effulgence? 
Suppose proclamation were made from heaven 
that when the sun declines to-day behind the 
western horizon, it would withdraw its rays 
from the heavenly bodies also, and leave this 
world in perpetual darkness, unless men put 
up importunate prayer that God would send 
it back again to dispense its daily beneficence. 
Suppose that men believed that proclamation 
as genuine and authentic, and realized the 
utter stagnation and death which Avould re- 
sult, how many would carelessly seek their 



42 THE UTILITY OF PRAYER. 

couches at the accustomed time for retire- 
ment ? Who would refuse or neglect to pray, 
as well as he could ? And when the usual 
time should arrive for appearances indicating 
the approach of the morning sun, how many 
anxious eyes would be directed to the eastern 
heavens ; and when the first faint streaks of 
dawn should appear, giving guaranty of the 
approach of the king of day, and furnishing 
evidence that their prayers had been an- 
swered, how many hearts would swell with 
gratitude to God, and how many tongues 
would be eloquent in His praise ! Yet, the 
unconditional blessings are just as great as 
they would be in the case supposed. God 
deals with men according to his knowledge of 
their character. That His blessings of provi- 
dence and of grace may not be as lightly 
esteemed as the great natural gifts, He re- 
quires that men should feel interested in their 
acquisition ; and be in a frame of mind pre- 
pared to appreciate them when acquired ; 



THE UTILITY OF PRAYER. 43 

and therefore He commands them to pray to 
him. 

3d. By prayer, men are made to take 
themselves under their own watch-care, and 
to be systematic christians. We cannot adore 
God for w^hat He is, unless w^e study His char- 
acter in nature, providence and revelation ; 
nor can we thank Him for what He does, un- 
less we make ourselves acquainted with the 
very items of His goodness. We cannot prop- 
erly confess sins to Him, unless w;e know not 
only our sinful disposition but the overt acts 
w^e have committed ; and we cannot present 
petitions unless we ascertain and feel our 
w^ants. Now, all these things imply system, 
watchfulness, and care. They imply that 
our minds are so attentive that none of 
God's dealings escape us that our sins are 
not committed without our consciousness 
and recognition ; and that no real want 
escapes us through inadvertence. Does God 
require that we should at short intervals re- 



44 THE UTILITY OF PRAYER. 

count to Him the items of His goodness, and 
give a full and minute account of ourselves? 
Then, He virtually requires that we should 
keep a record of all these items ; which fs 
but to require that w^e should be thoughtful, 
watchful, and systematic. No one can faith- 
fully discharge the duty of prayer without 
becoming a systematic christian. 

4th. God requires us to pray in order that 
w^e may stand pledged to labor for the things 
for which we pray. The divine life in the hu- 
man soul, and its progress in the human ex- 
perience, are the products of divine grace. By 
grace are men saved, through faith, and that 
not of themselves, it is the gift of God ; and 
Christ is the author and finisher of faith. 
But, in salvation, God deals with men not 
as automata, but as sensitive and volitional 
beings. Though he works in them, it is that 
he might make them will and do of his 
good pleasure. True, in justification, ''God 
imputeth righteousness without works; " and 



THE UTILITY OF PRAYER. 45 

in this connection, men are commanded to 
** work not," but to *' believe on him that 
justifieth the ungodly; " ^ but being justified 
by faith, they are exhorted to work out their 
own salvation with fear and trembling ; and 
are encouraged to do so by the assurance 
that it is God who worketh in them to will 
and to do of His good pleasure.^ If converted 
then have faults, if they are liable to besetting 
sins, the method of God's grace is to remove 
them, not by reaching down an almighty hand 
and taking them instantly away, as if they 
were material substances, but to impart such 
influences as to make His people discover the 
faults and the sins; and abhor them; and 
successfully struggle against them. Do men 
need any bestowal or any growth of spiritual 
graces — as e. g. of faith, and hope and love ? 
The method of God is not to reach down His 
hand, and put these graces, as foreign sub- 
stances, into the soul, but rather to impart to 
1 Rom. 4:6. 2 Phil. 2: 12, 13. 



46 THE UTILITY OF FRAYER. 

the individual a divine principle, and subject 
him to the operation of a divine influence, so 
as to enkindle in his breast the desire for 
these graces, and stimulate him to the effort 
to secure them, by the use of such self-culture 
as the Holy Spirit will enable him successfully 
to employ. Now, to this end, God makes the 
requirement of prayer. Is any one convinced 
that he has faults of character; does he feel 
that he is in danger of being overcome by 
constitutional and easily besetting sins, and, 
with this conviction and this feeling, does he 
come to the throne of grace, and beg God to 
take away those faults and to free him from 
those sins ? Then, in the very act of prayer, 
he in effect pledges himself that he will do all 
in his power to overcome those faults, and to 
guard against those sins. His prayer is a 
declaration of war against them, and an arm- 
ing of himself with the panoply of heaven, 
which, under the divine blessing, will ulti- 
mately bring him off victorious over them. 



THE UTILITY OF PRAYER. 47 

No one can prayerfully confess a fault or a sin 
to God, and go away and thoughtlessly or reck- 
lessly indulge the one or commit the other. 

Does any one earnestly desire the acqui- 
sition of a christian grace, or its increase in 
growth and power ? God kindles that desire. 
Does he pray for this blessing? Then, he 
pledges himself that, God helping him, he will 
deny himself of all things that would tend to 
hinder the existence of the grace or its 
growth ; that he will direct his attention to 
all such things as would tend to produce it, 
or to stimulate its growth. For example, 
Does he pray for faith? Then, he pledges 
himself that he will resist the evil heart of 
unbelief that is in him, and by a careful study 
of God's w^ord, will try to convince himself of 
His free mercy and grace in Christ Jesus ;- of 
the fulness of the atonement to save the 
chief of sinners who relies upon it ; and of the 
faithfulness of God, w^ho invites men to trust 
in His Son, and who promises salvation to all 



48 THE UTILITY OF PRAYER. 

who thus believe. It would be mockery to 
pray for faith, or for its increase, without using 
the means that God appoints and blesses ; for 
faith Cometh by hearing, and hearing by the 
word of God. When men therefore ask God 
to increase their faith, they virtually pledge 
themselves to do all in their power, with the 
blessing of God, to cultivate this grace in 
themselves. So we may illustrate in the case 
of hope, or love, or any other christian grace. 

The same reason may be given for the 
scriptural command to pray for others. God 
requires us to present to Him intercessions for 
others, not because He needs information from 
us of their wants, or because He waits for an 
impulse to act in their behalf, but 

{a) Because He would cultivate our chris- 
tian graces. The waters of benevolence are 
refluent ; and he is watered most in his own 
soul who is most active in watering the souls 
of others.^ 

* Prov, II : 25. 



THE UTILITY OF PRAYER. 49 

(J?) God requires us to pray for others 
that we might thus be stimulated to work for 
them. No one can, in good faith and with 
strong desire, pray for a good thing in behalf 
of another, without standing pledged to do 
all in his power to help him to that good 
thing. No one can truly pray for the salva- 
tion of another without feeling impelled and 
pledged to do all in his power to bring him to 
Christ. His personal efforts, in all judicious 
ways, will inevitably accompany his prayers, 
and grow out of them. No one can pray for 
the salvation of the heathen without virtually 
pledging his property, and, if necessary, him- 
self also to carry to them the glad tidings of 
salvation. Desire prompts the prayer^ and 
the prayer increases the desire, and both 
exert an influence upon the petitioner — the 
one, by direct power impelling, the other, by 
reflex influence, pledging him to active efforts 
to the evangelizing, of the heathen. 

Thus it is seen that prayer is not a sense- 



so THE UTILITY OF PRAYER. 

less requirement, without reason or philos- 
ophy, but an efficient instrumentality, appoint- 
ed by infinite wisdom, for God*s glory ; for the 
sanctification of His people ; and for the 
spread of His gospel throughout the earth. 



CHAPTER III. 

PRAYER AS RELATED TO PROVIDENCE! 

The previous discussion shows that the 
doctrine of prayer is in harmony with God's 
sovereignty and immutability in the Kingdom 
of Grace. All difficulty in this connection 
vanishes when we admit that He uses men as 
instrumentalities in His hands for the accom- 
plishment of His gracious purposes toward 
them. He may then use prayer as an or- 
dained means for the attainment of His or- 
dained ends. 

But does not the doctrine of Prayer as it 
stands related to that of Providence involve 
the utmost absurdity, inconsistency and con- 
fusion ? Take the two instances of rain and 
disease: Elijah prayed that it might not rain, 
and it rained not for the space of three years 



52 AS RELATED TO PROVIDENCE. 

and SIX months, and he prayed again and the 
heavens gave rain ; and James says the prayer 
of faith shall save the sick. Now, if God 
should put it into the power of His people to 
control such important questions as the sea- 
sons and health, is it not the same virtually 
as abdicating the throne of Providence, and 
elevating His people to it in His stead ? And 
then what inextricable confusion would re- 
sult ! Here is a pious farmer whose crops 
will be injured by rain, separated only by a 
fence from another whose crops demand it in 
copious abundance — a battle is to be fought 
between the armies of two professedly chris- 
tian people at war ; and the pious of both 
nations meet at the throne of grace with 
conflicting petitions. Whose prayers will be 
availing? and on what principles will God's 
decisions be made accepting or rejecting? 

This seems to be a very serious difficulty, 
but the word of God enables us to remove it. 
The solution is found in the scriptural state- 



AS RELATED TO PROVIDENCE. 53 

ment, that men never truly pray excepting as 
God indites their petitions. Christians never 
offer *' effectual fervent '' prayer excepting as 
they utter at the throne of grace those things 
the desire of which He had previously put into 
their hearts. If this proposition can be proved, 
the difficulty is removed ; for God will not 
enkindle in the hearts of His people any desire 
for things in the realm of nature, providence 
or grace, which it is not His purpose to bring 
to pass. That men do not present prevailing 
prayer excepting as God gives the impulse, 
kindles the desire, and imparts the faith 
strong enough to encourage approach to the 
throne, is argued, , 

1st. From the promise He makes through 
the Prophet Zechariah, to the house of David 
and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, that He 
would '' pour upon them the Spirit of grace 
and supplication.'* ^ The Spirit *here is as- 
serted to be the author not only of all grace or 
* Zech. 12 : 10. 



54 AS RELATED TO PROVIDENCE. 

holiness, but of all genuine supplications also. 
He shows the want, kindles the desire, and 
indites the petition. Whether then the sup- 
plication relates to things in the domain of 
grace, or nature, or providence, it is indited 
by the Spirit of supplications ; and is effectual 
because thus indited. There is no danger of 
conflict between such petitions and God*s 
purpose in grace, nature, or providence ; for 
** He that searcheth the hearts knoweth what 
is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh 
intercession for the saints, according to the will 
ofGocir^ 

2d. Again, the proposition is sustained 
positively and in direct terms, by Paul in his 
epistle to the Romans : ** Likewise the Spirit 
also helpeth our infirmities ; for we know not 
what we should pray for as we ought ; but 
the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us 
with groartings which cannot be ^ uttered.*' 
Here the doctrine is set up that we know not 
* Rom. 8 : 27. * Rom. 8 : 26. 



AS RELATED TO PROVIDENCE. 55 

what we should pray for as we ought ; and 
that the Spirit suggests to us the subject 
matter of our true petitions. The inference 
is plain and unmistakable that when we, in 
our ignorance, without divine suggestion, 
select the topics to be presented to the throne 
of grace, our petitions are unavailing and 
void ; and that in all cases of acceptable 
prayer, the Spirit not only kindles the desire 
and imparts the faith, but suggests to us 
**what we should pray for.*' ** There is here 
an illustration by example given of the Spirit's 
help in prayer^ namely, not only by exciting 
us to pray, and strengthening us in prayer, 
but suggesting to us what we should pray for, 
and how our prayers should be expressed. 
This influeiice of suggestion is in order to set 
the thing in the strongest point of view, by 
making, per /^erdXr^i^cv, the Holy Spirit utter 
what he only suggests." ^ ** The Holy Spirit 
intercedes effectively in the heart as our helper 
* Bloomfield in loc. 



56 AS RELATED TO PROVIDENCE. 

by impelling us to prayer, and suggesting to 
us how we ought to pray ; by exciting in 
our hearts aspirations, unutterable by the 
tongue, to our Heavenly Father ; finally, by 
himself praying, as it were, in us — for uSy so 
that we by him cry Abba, Father.'* ^ 

3d. The passage in James, if it be prop- 
erly translated, sustains as effectively the 
proposition : ** The effectual fervent prayer 
of a righteous man availeth much.*' ^ Now, 
there are not in the original two w^ords, one 
meaning *^ effectual," and the other *^ fervent/' 
but one Greek word, e'v£pyovfzh?],{cv, in, and ^P7^^» 
work,) which is properly rendered imvroitght. 
" The prayer of a righteous man inwrought 
[by the Holy Spirit] availeth much." Other 
passages also tend to the same conclusion — 
as, ** praying in the Holy Ghost ; "^ *' praying 
always with all prayer and suppHcation in the 
Spirit." 3 

* Bloomfield in loc. * Ja. 5 : 16. 

^ Jude 20. 3 Ep 6 . 18. 



AS RELATED TO PROVIDENCE. 5/ 

4th. An argument corroborative of the 
proposition is found also in the fact that sin- 
cere and earnest petitions may be presented 
and yet fail to become prevaihng prayer. 
Impelled not by God's Spirit but by personal 
tribulations and disquietudes, or by a strong 
desire for some coveted earthly good — sym- 
pathizing with others in their dangers or 
necessities, we may with much emotion, and 
with great importunity, besiege a throne of 
grace unavailingly. How often have chris- 
tians entreated earnestly for the removal of 
some affliction, or agonized in prayer for the 
delivery of loved ones from impending death, 
without obtaining the favor sought ! These 
desires, natural and commendable, are some- 
times stimulated and seconded by the Holy 
Spirit. In such cases, the petitions are pre- 
sented not only with importunity and emotion, 
but with a strong confidence also that God 
would hear. Many a time has the christian 
come from his closet with a firm conviction 



58 AS RELATED TO PROVIDENCE. 

that God would restore to health one whose 
case .had been considered hopeless by his 
physician. How often too, alas, has he with 
sinking heart made agonizing supplications of 
this kind, feeling all the time that his prayer 
was not obtaining audience with God ! The 
scriptures furnish some striking examples of 
this kind : Paul, without success, *' besought 
the Lord thrice'' that the *' thorn in the 
flesh, the messenger of Satan,'' ** might depart 
from" him ; ^ Moses, addressing Israel, tes- 
tified, ** And I besought the Lord at that 
time, saying, O Lord God, ... I pray 
thee, let me go over, and see the good land 
that is beyond Jordan, that goodly mountain, 
and Lebanon. But the Lord . . . would 
not hear me ; and the Lord said unto me, 
Let it suffice thee ; speak no more unto me 
of this matter;"^ and in Gethsemane the 
Saviour prayed for the third time in substance, 
** O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup 
'*■ 2 Cor. 12 : 8. * Duet. 3 : 23-26. 



AS RELATED TO PROVIDENCE. 59 

pass from me : nevertheless not as I will but 
as thou wilt." Nor are petitions of this char- 
acter sinful if made conditioned on God's will ; 
nor are they altogether in vain. If the spe- 
cific favor sought for is denied, God will 
make evident to the consciousness of the 
petitioner as he did to that of Paul that His 
grace will be sufficient for him ; ^ will elevate 
him as He did Moses to some Pisgah's ^top ; 
and will make him partake in some degree of 
the profound submission and resignation of 
the Saviour, and say with Him, *' O my Father, 
if this cup may not pass away from me, except 
I drink it, thy will be done." But prevailing 
prayer — that which secures specifically and 
literally the blessing sought, is that which is 
indited by the Holy Spirit. 

It will be seen that the doctrine of prayer 
does not conflict with that of providence. It 
does not virtually dethrone God and enthrone 
His people instead ; nor does it suggest the 

* 2 Cor. 12:9. a Deut. 3 : 27. 



6o AS RELATED TO PROVIDENCE. 

idea of inextricable confusion in the admin- 
istration of providence ; for christians never 
put up prevailing prayer — as in other things, 
so also in matters pertaining to the adminis- 
tration of Providence — excepting as they are 
impressed and instigated by the Holy Spirit. 
Question. But it may be asked, why all 
this formahty ? Events of providence depend 
upon God's purpose and His almighty power; 
and no efficiency can be communicated to 
Him by the intervention of poor finite men. 
Why then does He ever put the desire for 
the providential event first into His people's 
minds, and then virtually delay the execution 
of His plan until they express that desire to 
Him in the form of prayer? Because he 
would elevate them into partnership with 
Himself in the administration of Providence 
also. In the Kingdom of Grace, He needs 
not the cooperation and assistance of His 
feeble creatures. In all His operations for 
the salvation of men, He could employ only 



AS RELATED TO PROVIDENCE. 6 1 

heavenly agencies; or without instrumen- 
taHty, could speak the word, or even enter- 
tain the voHtion onlv, and sinners could be 
instantly sanctified. But He chooses to 
employ human instrumentality rather. It 
pleases God by the foolishness of preaching 
to save them that believe."^ It is His will that 
faith should come by hearing, and hearing by 
the w^ord of God.^ Consequently, no inhabit- 
ant of heaven has the prerogative to declare 
to sinners the glad tidings of salvation. 
While on earth, the Saviour, like His dis- 
ciples, preached, saying : ^' Repent : for the 
kingdom of heaven is at hand."^ But when, 
from heaven, in light brighter than the 
noonday sun, He appeared to Saul near 
Damascus, He did not explain to him the 
way of salvation in answer to the question, 
^* Lord, what wilt thou have me to do ? " but 
said to him, '' arise and go into the city, and, 
it shall be told thee what thou must do." 4- 

* I Cor. 1 : 21. 8 Rom. lo: 17. 

2 Mat. 4 : 17. * Ac. 9: 6. 



62 AS RELATED TO PROVIDENCE. 

To Ananias was given the great privilege to 
lead the blind sinner to the cross. The Holy 
Spirit enables men to understand the gospel ; 
but He never preaches it to them. Hence 
He instructed Philip to join himself to the 
eunuch's chariot.^ When the *^ angel of 
God '* appeared to Cornelius, though per- 
mitted to testify, " Thy prayers and thine 
alms are come up for a memorial before 
God,*' it was not his prerogative to preach 
the gospel. A sinner saved by grace alone 
was to have this great privilege. Therefore 
his instruction, ** Send men to Joppa, and 
call for one Simon, whose surname is Peter; 
... he shall tell thee what thou oughtest to 
do." ^ In the Kingdom of Grace, God's 
ministers and people are co-workers ^ and 
laborers together^ with Him. If then He 
elevates His people into partnership with 
Himself in the Kingdom of Grace, which is 

* Ac. 8: 2g» * Ac. lo: 5, 6. 

* 2 Cor. 6:1. ^ I Cor. 3:9. 



AS RELATED TO PROVIDENCE. 63 

the greater, why should it be thought strange 
that He should give them a like position in 
the Kingdom of Providence, which is the less ? 

It will be seen then that God requires 
prayer not only that His people may be sanc- 
tified, and made active in his service, but also 
that they may be elevated into partnership 
with him in the administration of nature, 
providence, and grace. How greatly then 
does He honor the work of the Son and of the 
Holy Spirit, when He thus permits redeemed 
sinners to manifest, without impertinence or 
imbecility, an interest in all His administra- 
tions on earth ! 

It will be seen, again, that the ^precept, 
which authorizes men to put up prayers ac- 
cording to their own will, does not conflict 
with that which Hmits them to the petition 
that accords with the will of God ; for they 
have no prevailing will excepting as God 
works it in them. 

* Vid. pp. 34, 35. 



CONCLUSION. 

I. MR. MULLER. 2. PROF. TYNDALL. 

Two practical applications of the doctrine 
will close this discussion. 

I. If we have given a proper exposition of 
Prayer as it stands related to Providence, it 
would not be surprising if God should, in all 
ages of the world, and under every dispensa- 
tion, raise up those who should be distin- 
guished from the great body of believers by 
the closeness of their intimacy with Him ; by 
the greatness of their faith ; and by the bold- 
ness of their petitions. Nor would it be fa- 
naticism should we believe and maintain that 
He may give to one and another of His favored 
servants, such impulses, impart to them such 
desires, and endow them with such faith, as 
to make them attempt without misgivings the 



CONCLUSION. 65 

greatest enterprises for His glory, and the 
good of men — enterprises involving perhaps 
the expenditure of princely revenues, with no 
other resources than the answer to prayer. 

There is a striking example apparently of 
this kind, contemporary with ourselves. A 
man in Bristol, England, with no pecuniary 
resources, and not engaged in any lucrative 
business, undertakes to support thousands of 
orphans ; to build for this purpose vast and 
magnificent asylums; and to carry on besides 
other extended benevolent operations : all 
involving the expenditure annually of hun- 
dreds of thousands of dollars, which he pro- 
fesses to acquire solely in answer to prayer. 
According to his published statement, money 
in a stream steady enough to prevent serious 
embarrassment to his vast operations, flows to 
him from the four quarters of the globe. 
Now, it is not necessary for the present writer 
to decide whether Mr. Muller is a genuine 
man or an impostor — whether his life is really 



66 CONCLUSION. 

one of trust or a mere pretension and a sham. 
It is sufficient for our present purpose to say 
that the doctrine of prayer as exhibited in 
the scriptures, prevents the modest profession 
of a ** life of trust '' from being in itself incred- 
ible and preposterous. 

But we may venture a step further. If 
Mr. Muller, in the many years he has been 
professing to live a ** life of trust," has been 
able to prove that these revenues he has been 
disbursing were contributed by others, and 
came to him without solicitation, his case, so 
far from being abnormal, furnishes not only a 
strong corroboration of the scriptural theory 
of prayer, but a striking example illustrating 
it. No one in his senses, and in good faith, ■ 
would have attempted, without personal re- 
sources, such great things as he has, unless 
God had kindled the desire, given the im- 
pulse, and imparted the faith : and no one, 
without divine impulsion and cooperation, 
could have conducted such enterprises for . 



CONCLUSION, 6j 

twenty years without failure, if he was candid ; 
or disgraceful exposure, if he was an impostor. 

To the great body of his people, God gives 
impulse and faith in prayer adequate to meet 
all the exigencies and duties and relations of 
life; and requires them to be *'not slothful in 
business, fervent in spirit, serving the "^ Lord.'* 
But one and another he may endow with such 
faith as to make them undertake the most 
extraordinary enterprises with no resources 
excepting those obtained in answer to prayer. 
Such seems to be Mr, Muller. 

2. If the doctrine has been properly set 
up, it will be seen how illogical is Prof. Tyn- 
dairs famous prayer test. Doubting the 
efficacy of prayer, or perhaps with the design 
to expose its pretensions, he proposes that a 
large number of prayers should be offered up 
daily for a specified term, for the recovery of 
certain inmates of a London hospital, while 
the remainder of the patients should be 

^ Rom. 12 : II. 



68 CONCLUSION. 

treated medicinally alone. According to his 
proposition, the one company is to rely 
exclusively upon prayer; the other alone 
upon medicine. And his question is, which 
would be most likely to succeed in healing 
the sick, christians with their faith and 
prayers, or physicians with their skill and 
medicines? Now, it will be seen that this 
proposition is based upon an entire miscon- 
ception of the doctrine of prayer. 

The bible represents that christians pray 
because the Holy Spirit puts it into their 
hearts to do so : the test proposes that they 
should pray because Dr. Tyndall suggests it 
to them. The bible teaches that effectual 
prayer for others is impelled by a benevolent 
and disinterested desire for their good : the 
test proposes that it should be undertaken in 
a spirit of antagonism — to join issue with Dr. 
Tyndall. The bible exhibits a praying man 
as approaching the throne of grace with 
humility, and self-abasement : the test pro- 



CONCLUSION. 69 

poses that he should step forth as a cham- 
pion, vaunting his own importance and 
efficiency. The bible requires one who would 
pray to come with faith, nothing doubting : 
the test requires that he should come, in 
behalf of Dr. Tyndall, to put God to the test, 
thus virtually justifying him in withholding 
confidence until God had satisfactorily passed 
the test. Finally, the bible requires us to 
pray impelled by a desire for God's glory: 
by the test we are urged to do so to convince 
Dr. Tyndall ; or, if he is uncandid, to expose 
and put him to confusion. 

True, God could appoint some modern 
Elijah to meet this champion of skepticism 
on the terms he proposes, as He did the 
ancient one to confront the prophets of ^ Baal; 
but what important end would be gained by 
it ? A test of the kind, accepted and success- 
fully sustained, is not needed to show that 
God hears the prayer of faith. There is 
^ I Ki: 18, 19, etc. 



70 CONCLUSION. 

already on record, in God's completed revela- 
tion, evidence enough to show that the sick 
have been healed time and again in answer to 
prayer ; and an additional fact of this kind 
will not strengthen the proof. With the 
bible in their hands, the people do not need 
the successful test to convince them of the 
doctrine; and Doctor Tyndall, unless God 
changes his heart, could easily persuade him- 
self, in that case, that the recovery of the 
sick in connection with prayer was brought 
about by collusion ; or that it was a re- 
markable coincidence, unaccountable on any 
known principles. He could explain it aw^ay 
as readily as he disposes of such cases as Mr. 
Muller ; and all too with a conviction that he 
was acting in perfect candor, and on scientific 
principles. 

Herod had heard many things of Jesus, 
and had for a long time desired to see Him ; 
and when He was sent to him by Pilate, he 
was glad, and hoped to have seen some mira- 



CONXLUSION. 71 

cle done by Him. ** Then he questioned 
with him in many words, but he answered 
him nothing."^ Now, as the genuineness of 
Christ's miracles in the past, and His power 
to perform them, were not invahdated be- 
cause He received in silence Herod's propo- 
sition that He should gratify his idle curios- 
ity ; so, neit4ier is God's promise that the 
prayer of faith shall heal the sick proved false 
and vain, because He does not put it into the 
hearts of some of His children to accept this 
illogical prayer test, dictated as it is by a 
motive worse than idle curiosity. Dr. Tyn- 
dall and other professed seekers after truth 
do not need this test to establish their faith. 
If he and they are candid, they will find 
prayer tests on record in the bible ^ more 
striking and convincing than the one he pro- 
poses : if they are not candid, they would not 
be persuaded though one rose from the dead. 

1 Lu. 23 : 7, 9. 

^ Jud. 6 : 36-40. I Ki. 18 : 19-39. 2 Ki. 20 : 8, 11. 



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